THE WEST SHORE.
CHINESE NEW YEAR AND THEATER.
It is one of the grounds of complaint against John Chinaman that he
lives in the poorest possible style, thus not contributing to the support of those
thousands of industries that go to sustain our complex industrial system and
give work to the mechanics; and, doubtless, this is a just cause of objection,
since the best citizen is he who spends his money and thus returns it to the
channels of trade and provides work for thousands. Hut, just as this criti
cism may be, there is a time when the Chinaman shows as much recklessness
in expenditure as his Caucasian brother, or rather, excels him in the disregard
of the cost of his jubilations. This is upon the various religious festal occa
sions, of which, though there are many, but two are observed with much cere
mony in America. These
are the Chinese new year
and the harvest festival. The
former is the anniversary of
the assumption of power by
the reigning dynasty, and
now occurs the second week
in February. The latter is
a thanksgiving for bountiful
crops and good business,
and a placating of departed
spirits, to keep them from
interfering adversely in mun
dane affairs for the coming
year, and occurs in Octo
ber. In many particulars
the form of celebration is
much alike. The new year
observances consist of an
entire cessation of work for
several days by even the
poorest Mongolian, and for
two weeks by the rich ones.
Dressed in their best ap
parel, they pay formal visits
to each other, and entertain
their guests right royally.
White callers arc made welcome and hospitably treated to tea, the like of
which never graces the Caucasian table, wine, cigars, confectioner)', fruit, etc.
The ceremonious greeting of two long-gowned and small-halted Chinamen is
awe inspiring. Each one, clasping his hands together in front of his face,
Iwws his head almost to the ground before the other three times in succession,
wilh an air of submission and reverence that is overpowering.
At night the streets ar.' brilliant wilh a multitude of many-colored, balloon-shaped
lanterns of all
sizes. It is between the
hours of six and eight that
the authorities permit the
firing of crackers, and then
the noise is like that of a
battle. The American docs
not know how to make a
noise with crackers.' Reck
lessly extravagant as he is
supposed to be, he can not
approach John Chinaman in
his disregard of expense in
exploding these red snap
pers. In the first place the
cheap thing sold to the
American boy for fourth of
July is held in contempt,
awl the cracker used by the
Chinaman explodes like the
report of a rifle. Suspended
front balcony or from
long pole are bunches of
crackers .strung together in
a string perhaps ten feet long.
The fuse at the bottom of
these is lighted and then the
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fun begins. The rattle sounds like a discharge of musketry by a thousand
men with repeating rines, so- constant is it, every second or so the heavier
boom of a large cracker ,
coming m to represent
the artillery. New
bunches are tied to the
upper end of the string
constantly, and this
ceaseless rattle is often
maintained for half an
hour steadily, great
crowds of all races and
both sexes gathering to
witness the spectacle.
It is not only the rich
merchants who indulge
in this extravagance,
but often the more
humble wash house
proprietor will add to
the general din. Fourth
of July pales into insig
nificance before Chi
nese new year, so far
as firecrackers are con
cerned. This, too, .s the
season when the Chi
nese theatre is at the
height of its glory.
Special preparations
are made to please the public at that time, and the delighted Mongolians
attend in crowds. The interior of this temple of Thespes is severely plain in
all its appointments, a few rows of benches on the main and level fioor, and
a narrow gallery, wilh a few stalls for ladies, seated wilh wixxlen benches,
constitutes the auditorium. The stage is a plain rostrum extending across (he
end of the hall, having two dixrs leading directly to the dressing and properly
room at the rear, one used for an entrance and one for an exit. A vivid
imagination is required to comprehend a Chinese play, for there are no scenic
effects to help place one rriW with its spirit. When a bloody-minded
villain requires a sword, the blue-bloused and black-rued property man walks
out upon the stage and hands it to him. When the exigencies of (he occasion
require that both the fleeing villain and his wrathful pursuers shall cross a
deep chasm in the mountains, both the mountains and the chasm being left to
the unaided imagination of all concerned, the property man again appear in
serene dignity, places two chairs UKin the bare boards of llie stage, across
which he lays a plank, and
both the chasm and limine
being now ready, the villain
and his pursuers take a new
start and successfully per
form the fieri lous feat of
crossing.
However meager and
common the properties and
slage sellings may be, the
costumes are marvels of gor
geousness. Nowhere else
can one see such combina
tions of color and form in
the raiment of human be
ings. The quality, loo, is of
the finest silk, salin and vel
vet, and the cost of mine of
the costume would make
the immortal Sara or the
slatuistic Mary despair. Evi
dently salaries are based
upon costumes ami not uion
the histrionic talent .although,
from the Chinese standard,
some of the actors are said
to posses much of the Utter.